Luc Freilicher from the Columbia Grammar School is a 12-year-old guard from the Fast Break AAU organization in New York City. He’s been playing ball since first grade and his favorite players are Brandon Roy and Derrick Rose. I took a shot of Luc’s sneakers with the Rice H.S. color ways impressed with the shoe. It is mind boggling to me that H.S. programs now are the inspiration for sneakers sold at retail outlets. These joints here were purchased at the House of Hoops in Harlem and as the sneaker game continues to evolve and branch out for new motivation, a story about putting sneakers on ice comes to mind…

I was 11-years-old when I got my first pair of Converse All-Stars and put them immediately on my feet. I wore them for all my sports activities, school, and just chilling. A kid came around my way rocking some shell-toed adidas and mentioned the term “on ice.” It was the first time I heard that. He looked at my sneakers and said, “those joints are done, you better start alternating your sneaker game and keeping a few on ice so that you have a better look going.” I looked at him and said, “This is my only pair and when I get joints they go straight on my feet.” He laughed and said, “When your game gets up partner, remember what I said, on ice.”

He was a sneakerhead, and I realized at that moment that I wasn’t. So I made a promise to myself that when I get a pair of kicks, I’m going to put them on my feet immediately and wear them and not allow a pair to remain ‘on ice’ for that long. I’m anti-establishment in some ways I guess, no diss to all you sneakerheads who frequent our site and catch our releases. But, to the death I will always dig straight into my new kicks, put them on and head out the door. How about you?